The Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum at the University of Jordan was established in 1962, coinciding with the founding of the university. At that time, it contained a limited number of artifacts. However, the importance of having an archaeological museum at the university encouraged the idea of renovating and developing it to align with the university’s distinguished academic standing. The Archaeological Museum is an educational museum, functioning as an open book, with its display cases serving as the pages. These cases house artifacts and cultural items that span from the ancient Stone Age to the end of the Islamic periods, organized chronologically.
In 1986, the museum relocated to its current location, now situated at the heart of the university campus, surrounded by green spaces. These areas have been utilized to exhibit additional artifacts and archaeological evidence in an outdoor museum format that captures the attention of students and fosters an appreciation of our national and cultural heritage.
The museum's collection was sourced from two main channels:
- The Department of Antiquities / Jordanian Museum.
- Excavations conducted by the Department of Archaeology’s training program, which involved digs at several sites across Jordan, including Jerash, Petra, Tell al-Mazar, Tell Salama, Rujm al-Kursi, Yajouz, Tell Siran, Tell Abu Nseir, and Tell Abu al-Sawan.
Currently, the museum is equipped with the necessary scientific facilities to fulfill its academic role. It features exhibition halls, research rooms, as well as photography and archaeological drawing rooms, along with a conservation and restoration lab.
The Archaeological Museum aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Deepen scientific knowledge of Jordan's cultural heritage across various periods and foster national awareness among students, particularly those in the Department of Archaeology, as well as university students and visitors in general.
- Organize traveling exhibitions, both within the country and internationally.
- Strengthen academic and intellectual cooperation with cultural institutions and organizations of shared interest.